Current motor



April 24, 1928. 1,667,634

J. R. MEEK|NS CURRENT MOTOR Filed May l. 1927 In/wanton fame/wm 1/ o l f l aum/M11 Patented pr. 24, 19.218".

- UNITED.STATES Laster JESSE R. MEEKINS; or MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA'.

CURRENT MOTOR.

lAppiiciimn ined nay 1o, 1927.l serial-N0. 190,296.

'lhis invention relates to current motors and more particularly Vto a device of this character adapted to operate While submerged or partially submerged in a stream.

An important object of the' invention 1s to provide an improved blade construction for use in conjunction with apparatus of this character such that the blades may readily fold or feather during that portion of the i. travel when they are opposed tothe direction of movement of the current and When nioving under the impulse of the current, Will be rigid to secure the necessary propulsion.

5 A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be very readily and cheaply constructed and installed, Which ivill be durableand efficient in service and a general improvement in the art.

rllhese and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and Whereinzy Figure 1 is a side elevation of'a current motor constructed in accordance with my invention; Y

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof; Figure 3 is a detail side elevation of a portion ofthe chain illustrating the manner of constructing the blades and connectingthem to the chain. Y

Referring now morevparticularly tothe drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a horizontally directed rigid frame,

preferably in the formof an open rectangle having adjacent opposite ends of the vopening opposed pairs of bearings 11, in which upon each Ashaft adjacent each bearing is a sprocket 13 and vchains Mare trained about aligned sprockets of the shafts. Spaced links of the chain, preferably alternate links, are provided With ears 15 and aligned ears Upon each pivot rod 16 is pivoted the inner end of a blade', generally designated at 17. Each blade comprises a plurality of sections 18, of Which the innermost LSection 18 is secured to the pivot rod.k Adjacent sections 18 are connected by applying yto the vrear faces thereof at abutting edges of the sections L-shaped plates, one arm .19 of which is secured to the section and the other are rotatably mounted shafts 12. Mountedv 15 of the chains are connected by pivot rodsy arm 2() of which is formed With-a pivot eye 21.l The pivoteyes of thearms 20 at adjacent edges of the sections combine to receive transversely extending pivot rods 22 and the innermost rod 22 of each blade 17 is connected by a chain or other flexible element, indicated at 23, with the pivot rod 16 of the following blade 17. Y

l Itrwill be obvious that With a construction M offthis character, the blade 17 may readily fold to .permit them to lie vflatly against/the chains yduring upstream travel and to permit lthem to conform to the surface ofthe sprockets 13 vduring their passage thereabout. At 7" the same time, when the sections are moved into aligned engagement, they are rigidified to one another .byV engagement of the end sections With one another and by the flat engagement of the confronting arms 20 of the 75 L-shaped plates.

It Willbefobvious that al device of this character may be very conveniently located in any running stream and will operate Without regard to the depth of the Water at different times, provided the under runs of the chains 14 are always so positioned that the blades 17 carriedthereby arevextended into the current. If desired, a housing 24 may be provided to cover the sprockets and the'up, per runs of the chain to protect the `same against damaging contact with floating dbris. j

Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification Without materially depart` ing'from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure exceptas hereinafter claimed. Y

I claim 1. In a current Vmotor and a housing, a

frame, lsupports aiiixed to the frame, sprockets having shafts journaled in the supports, endless chains passing overthe sprockets, feathering blades pivoted to the chains in spaced relation to each other, .said blades being composed of two sections hinged together so that they may drop down into the current topropel the chains, andr feather upon the chains on their return against the current, the hinge being so formed that the parts, when' extended, abut edge to edge and are held rigidly in this position by the hinge, K' fiexible connections for each blade further supporting the blades in a perpendicular po- U0 .sition With relation to the rot-ating chain, said fiexible connections beingattached at l one end to the hinge oi the upper-most blade section, and extending in n direction reverse to the direction ol movement ot the chai-n, Lund being attached tothe pivot ot the nent succeeding blade.

2. In a. current motor, :in endlesslexible element, featliering blades pivoted to the element, seid blades being composed of two sections hinged together so that they muy drop down into the current to propel 'the element and `feather on the element on their return again-st the current, the hinge being formed ot two L-shaped plates, a pint-le eoeeting therewith and the two plates abut-ting against each other When the blades abut and prevent l'urther swinging movement of the bledes'gthe hinges being disposed on the upstream side of the blades.

In testimony whereof Iherennto affix my signature.

JESSE R. MEEKINS. 

